What’s your stage name and where are you from?
I go by the name “Chevy the Goodfella.” I was born in London, UK, but since the age of 7, I’ve been raised and spent a majority of my life in Waterford (the Valley/the 051), the oldest city in the southeast of the Republic of Ireland.
What’s the story behind your stage name?
So it’s pretty simple. Since I was a teenager, people have always called me by my nickname “Chevy,” so it wasn’t too hard of a choice. My favorite cars have always been ’70s-style Chevrolets like the Camaro, Chevelle, and Monte Carlo. Also, the name “Chevy” has deep roots throughout hip-hop and rap music culture, so I thought it was appropriate.
Originally, I went by the name “Goodfella” on its own, but as time passed, people would still always just call me “Chevy.” So, I connected the two, and it’s been that way since! The term “Goodfella” is inspired by iconic old-school gangster/mafia flicks such as Goodfellas, Scarface, The Godfather, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, etc., reflecting an admiration for the respect and strict code of honor depicted within the Italian mob and certain gangster cultures. This choice also resonates with my real surname, “Goodman,” creating a profound connection between my personal identity and the enigmatic persona that is “Chevy the Goodfella.”
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
My musical journey is a rebellion against the ordinary; it’s a descent into life’s darkest corners and the occult to expose hidden truths.
Fueled by a passion for lyricism, rap culture, freedom, raw pain, raw love, enlightenment, a fascination with the forbidden, and the raising of the collective consciousness of the planet through my music and lyrics.
I feel it’s almost my mission to at least try and give people a choice to see things from a different perspective, and what better way to get people to listen than through music.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
Throughout my newest release An Unexpected Tale, I meticulously chose and used multiple sound samples as well as vocals as ad-libs to my lyrics. I wanted to make it feel almost 4D when listening to it—imagine a movie through audio! Now, I’m not gonna tell you which samples they are; you will have to listen to it and make up your own mind. But I will tell you some are from movies, archives, and entertainment, and some are my own personal samples. Take from that what you will and enjoy trying to figure out what I mean.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
- Rebellion against conformity.
- Unity through love.
- The never-ending pursuit of knowledge and hidden truths to change the world for the better.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
Some of the sound effects I’ve spoken about were either too loud or too low at times after the mastering process, so it took a couple of mixes to get it right and then have the final product that was released. I am satisfied and proud of the outcome.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
This is a tough question because there are so many artists that I would collaborate with, but saying that, there are many that I would not. If you are into UK underground hip-hop, you may be familiar with a rap group by the name of Rhyme Asylum. They were a massive influence on me back in the day. It’s like they dropped two of the hardest mixtapes ever to be heard, then disappeared off the face of the earth. If they ever decided to come back, I think we could create something that would stand the test of time like their albums already have.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
My goal for this year is to gain an international presence. By releasing my singles with creative music videos and content directed by myself, I believe it will gain me a further cult-like following. In doing so, I hope to put on sought-after, captivating performances on multiple stages around the globe while continuing to build my brand and expand my listeners and reach.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
The next big step will be performing on bigger stages for bigger audiences and ultimately being able to make a consistent wage from my lyrics, music, content, knowledge, and performances in the craft that I know and love.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
You can find my music on nearly all music streaming platforms—Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, etc.—but if you want the exclusive, you can find my music and music videos on my personally run YouTube channel. Just search Chevy the Goodfella on the search engine and let’s try to boost that algorithm!
Spotify: Listen Here
YouTube: Watch Here
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
If you want to be kept in the loop or get in contact with me for collaborations, give me a follow on Instagram and send me a DM—I am most active on there! Otherwise, all bookings for performances should be sent to my email:
Instagram: @chevythegoodfella
Email: chevythegoodfella@gmail.com
